Author Graci Kim and Rick Riordan Presents takes readers back to the enchanting world of Riley Oh, the Godrealm’s last fallen star, just two months after the conclusion of the series’ first novel, The Last Fallen Star. While no one has regained their memories of her, she finds herself once again determined to right the wrongs she set in motion by journeying to the Spiritrealm. When she arrives, it’s clear there is a mysterious illness plaguing the realm that she, along with Hattie and a new friend named Dahl, must work together to uncover the truth.
Along the way, readers are treated to a number of twists and turns they won’t seem coming, including Kim’s own unique and creative take on Jiok: the Seven Hells in Korean mythology. Riley’s character remains one of the most relatable young adult main characters out there as she battles with her own inner demons on her quest to fix her clan’s lost powers. From uncovering new truths about herself to the emotional turmoil she faces, I found myself once again invested in Riley from the moment I opened the book. While Riley struggles with the ramifications of her actions, she’s faced with not only the physical consequences but the emotional trauma that those actions caused. Her journey is one many can relate to on some level, making Riley feel like a real and vulnerable character. Riley reminds us all that it’s ok to feel our feelings, it’s ok to not be perfect, and most importantly, letting others love and support you is a strength, not a weakness. Kim’s writing style remains both engaging and educational, easily working in explanations and pronunciations for any readers who are unfamiliar with Korean beliefs or language.
Much like The Last Fallen Star, The Last Fallen Moon is full of witty writing, a thrilling adventure, and infused with magic. Any reader who loves mythology is going to adore this novel that lives up to the first one in spades. Kim strategically brings in new characters that I’m certain readers are going to fall in love with immediately, including a certain animal soul and the hilariously entertaining Dahl. The introduction of Dahl is a perfect way to guide Riley, and readers, through the workings of the Spiritrealm, and he will fast become a favorite character for everyone. He’s more than just her guide, though, and the secrets he holds close to his chest were some of the best reveals in this riveting new story. The Last Fallen Moon is both a fantastic individual novel and also perfectly sets up what is sure to be an even more thrilling final novel to the trilogy that I am already eagerly awaiting.
The Last Fallen Moon is available in bookstores and online now, so grab your copy and rejoin Riley and Hattie in a brand new realm with new characters and even bigger adventures!
Demigods, new casting news just dropped! Three new cast members have been revealed to the upcoming live-action Percy Jackson and the Olympians series set to air on Disney+ in the future, per Variety.
First up, we finally have found our antagonist in Charlie Bushnell (Diary of a Future President), who will be portraying the one and only Luke Castellan, son of Hermes. The 18-year-oldwill easily play into the age-accurate casting that’s been promised from the jump (and delivered) of this production’s announcement, one of the many letdowns from the movie duology.
Additionally, Dior Goodjohn has been cast as Clarisse LaRue, daughter of Ares. Clarisse can be described as a “strong-willed and competitive fighter who doesn’t let much stand in the way of her winning. Intensely loyal to her close friends, she’s also quite intimidating to newcomers” — which will include Percy as we know from the books.
Last but not least, Olivea Morton (Fear, And Yet They Speak) has been cast in the role of Nancy Bobfit, Percy’s young nemesis at Yancy Academy (there’s nothing like demigod preteen beef, am I right?).
These young actors join the previously announced main trio Walker Scobell, Leah Sava Jeffries, and Aryan Simhadri, who will play Percy, Annabeth, and Grover, respectively. Additionally, ensemble cast members Jason Mantzoukas, Virginia Kull, Megan Mullaly, Glynn Turman, and Timm Sharp were recently announced.
As always, stay tuned for more updates as they become available. While you wait for more news, make sure to check out our other coverage on the show’s developments and all things Rick Riordan — including all of his upcoming projects in 2022 and beyond.
The CW has released photos from the penultimate episode of season 8 of The Flash, “Negative, Part One.” In the first part of the two-part finale, as Team Flash find themselves occupied battling for their lives, Iris finally figures out the cause of her illness.
“TEAM FLASH BANDS TOGETHER – The Flash (Grant Gustin) and team are in for the fight of their lives, meanwhile, Iris (Candice Patton) discovers the cause of her time sickness.”
Check out the photos for “Negative, Part One” below!
Looks like some of our favorite Star Wars characters are taking a much needed vacation! In this new trailer, released by Disney+, we will get to see what a Lego Star Wars Summer Vacation consists of.
The summer special is the newest continuation of the cross-saga storytelling from Lucasfilm and LEGO Group. Fans have followed their favorite group of resistance rebels through Lego Star Wars Holiday Special, and Lego Star Wars Terrifying Tales. Now we will join Finn as he arranges a surprise vacation for his friends. Finn will take Rey, Poe, Rose, Chewie, BB-8, R2-D2, and C-3PO, aboard the ultra-luxurious Galactic Starcruiser. Per the usual with this group, things don’t go exactly to plan.
LEGO/Lucasfilm
This special will features some of the amazing and talented voices of Yvette Nicole Brown, Kelly Marie Tran, Anthony Daniels, and Billy Dee Williams. Alongside the new voices will be returning cast members from previous Lego Star Wars specials. Some of the most notable returns are Trevor Devall as Emperor Palpatine, Jake Green as Poe Dameron, Matt Lanter as Anakin Skywalker, Matt Sloan as Darth Vader, and James Arnold Taylor as Obi-Wan Kenobi. One special new comer to the Star Wars galaxy is “Weird Al” Yankovic. In the trailer you can catch “Weird Al” Yankovic’s new original song Scarif Beach Party.
Lego Star Wars Summer Vacation will be premiering August 5th, exclusively on Disney+. With David Shayne and Ken Cunningham as an excellent writer and executive producer combination, this is sure to be a fun filled special! Be sure to follow Nerds & Beyond to stay up to date!
The fourth and final season of Roswell, New Mexico continues to pick up steam as Max and Cam are hot on the bank robbers trail, Liz makes a tough decision, and Maria faces a sad truth about herself. Let’s jump right in.
21 Guerin Street
John Golden Britt/The CW
Still believing Alex is off chasing weather balloons, Michael runs into Bonnie who is drinking at the Wild Pony. He thinks she’s binge drinking and strikes up a conversation, guitar in hand. He finds it weird she has no idea about types of alcohol, Footloose, or Kevin Bacon so as she makes a hasty exist he picks up her glass noticing the familiar triad alien mark. He’s found Bonnie.
The next day, Cam and Max inform the group that they found Bonnie and Clyde’s get away car and who the deposit box belonged to. It’s none other than Patricia DeLuca’s box leading them to ask Maria to trigger a vision in the hopes of discovering what was in it. From this meet up, everyone gets their “mission capture the dark triad” assignments. Maria triggering a vision, Liz to analyze the dirt found on their getaway car, Isobel keeping Anatsa distracted, and Dallas and Michael meeting up with Grant Green to see what he knows about the symbol from his newsletter. Michael is less than thrilled with the plan to lock up the triad. He wants to befriend Bonnie and help uncover their plans from the inside. Max is adamantly against this, at least until Liz talks him into it later.
Max tells her that his powers have multiplied since being untethered from Jones and right now he’s worried about what will happen if he has to use them agains the bank robbers. Even so, they call up Michael Cam, Liz, and Max beat Bonnie and Clyde to the bank vault, setting up a trap for them. They spray them with alien inhibitor so their powers fail, and Michael arrives to “save” them. Just like that, (after Clyde decks him) Bonnie whispers that she’ll meet him at the junkyard.
Michael arrives at the junkyard to find Bonnie. He tells her he’s willing to help them out in the future. She briefly talks about how chaotic things feel and they share a sweet moment when Michael offers to teach her guitar so she can make her own music and quiet that noise in her mind.
Liz and Shivani Team Up
Liz heads to Deep Sky to analyze the dirt off the dark triad’s tires thanks to Eduardo giving them level E clearance at the facility. The analysis leads them to the shut down oil rig that’s already swarmed with people. On-sight is Shivani and her team who has bought the place outright. Liz goes undercover to see what the teams might uncover at the sight. Dismissing her team, Shivani cuts right to the chase and tells Liz she thinks aliens are why she’s back in Roswell (she’s not subtle). She’s already well versed in alien science, so Liz cautiously agrees to work with her.
On sight, Shivani’s team find what they believe to be skin on a cactus. She texts Liz to let her know, but Liz chooses to stay home with Max rather than call her immediately. She’s prioritizing that work/life balance and we love to see it! At least until Kyle calls her and she doesn’t answer. Jones’ body has gone missing.
The Most Stressful Double Date
John Golden Britt/The CW
Keeping Anatsa out of the “alien hunt”, Max gifts Isobel two VIP tickets to a wine tasting where they run into Kyle and his date, Kiera. Kyle is clearly trying to sneak away from Isobel (what with being on a date to try and forget about his crush on her) but she insists on a double date to the VIP section seeing as they all have tickets. Anatsa also seems a less than thrilled with the development but agrees. It’s to Isobel’s detriment though because Kiera reveals that she’s an insurance agent working on the bank heist account and Anatsa immediately begins asking questions.
Kyle and Isobel team up to try and change the topic, but Anatsa is relentless. Kiera plays the video for Anatsa and when they nearly spot Max in the midst of the blowing money, Isobel (mentally) throws Kiera’s phone into a bucket of wine.
Isobel begins to crack when she confides in Kyle that she had to mindscape Anatsa and feels like a monster for it. She’s afraid to love Anatsa because of it. Kyle reminds her that she’s operating out of fear, and she’ll have to be honest with Anatsa if she doesn’t want to keep sabotaging the relationship.
Before she can tell her the truth, Anatsa asks her if there are things going on between her and Kyle. She’s hurt that Isobel won’t open up to her about things, she’s “tired of feeling like the side chick” and Isobel accidentally suggests they have some space. Anatsa leaves before she can fix it. Kyle also departs with a very drunk Kiera, taking her him then heading to the lab to discover Jones’ body is missing.
Maria Loses Her Visions
John Golden Britt/The CW
Sadly, Maria is in the worst shape of everyone as she discovers her powers are fading. She’s unable to trigger visions anymore and in a desperate attempt to help Max with the case, she steals an Epipen from Kyle’s office and uses it. It doesn’t trigger anything and Dallas catches her. She fills him in but makes him swear not to tell anyone. Dallas agrees and they set to work finding out the contents of the box in a more logical way. They search the Pony for clues and find safety deposit box keys.
They retrieve the item from the box, a mysterious glowing cube. Dallas also reminds her it’s ok to grieve the loss of her powers and let herself adjust to the new normal. He also shares that growing closer to the group has made Dallas feel closer to his father.
The two are sharing a meal when Maria gets a call that night, her mother is once again missing from her care home.
Tezca Strikes Again
Tezca is fast become a serious villain, first with sending Alex into the sand (I refuse to accept he’s gone for good) and now attacking Eduardo on the road. In a Supernatural-esque scene, she’s in the middle of the deserted road in a white dress forcing him to slam the brakes to avoid hitting her. Her eyes glow purple as she does… something. They never show us whether she’s simply searching his mind to uncover information or if he’s also going to go missing alongside Alex.
With Jones’ corpse missing, Alex still in the sand, and the gang in possession of the mysterious relic, things are heating up as the season continues. Roswell, New Mexico airs Mondays on The CW. Be sure to check out all our coverage of the show here including recaps, synopses, and episodic photos as they become available.
The first teaser for Hulu and Searchlight Pictures Not Okay satirical comedy starring Dylan O’Brien and Zoey Deutch has been released.
Not Okay follows an aspiring writer with little social prowess, Danni Sanders (Zoey Deutch), who fakes an Instagram-friendly trip to Paris hoping to boost her social media clout. When a terrifying incident strikes, Danni unwittingly falls into a lie bigger than she ever imagined. She “returns” as a hero, striking up an unlikely friendship with Rowan (Mia Isaac), a school-shooting survivor dedicated to societal change, and scooping up the man of her dreams, Colin (Dylan O’Brien). While Danni may have everything she’s ever dreamed of, the facade fades quickly and she learns just how ruthless the internet can be.
Netflix has released the official trailer for Stranger Things season 4 volume 2 today, and things are looking especially horrible for our scattered crew from Hawkins.
The final two episodes to season 4 of the series created for Netflix by the Duffer Brothers total nearly four hours, with episode 8 at 1 hour 25 minutes and episode 9 running 2 hours 20 minutes. The final two episodes will be available to stream exclusively on Netflix July 1, 2022.
Check out the official trailer below! If you need to refresh where we left off with Stranger Things season 4 volume 1, you can find our episodic recaps here.
Welcome to the latest installment of our 2022 Pride Month Series! Each weekday in the month of June, we will be highlighting a different member of the LGBTQIA+ community who we think is a great example of representation and dynamic characterization. We will focus on fictional characters, celebrities, and activists alike — the positive voices within the LGBTQIA+ community and in mainstream media. Today’s spotlight is on Jim in Our Flag Means Death, played by the wonderful Vico Ortiz, who will also be heavily spotlighted in this article … just as they deserve!
Our Flag Means Death has been celebrated since it released this March on HBO Max for telling authentic, heartfelt, and heartwarming queer stories — and for providing actual representation for a community who is still vastly underrepresented in media. It is no longer enough to have a background queer character or two, or a passing glimpse at a non-heterosexual relationship. People in the LGBTQ+ community deserve to have their stories told authentically, in the spotlight, and to completion — which is exactly what this series has provided to those of us who have been historically disappointed by queerbaiting.
When I got the chance to interview Ortiz back in April of this year, which you can find here, one of the parts of the interview that stuck with me was how they talked about the space that was created on set.
“…knowing that there were writers in the room who are of non-binary/trans experience, knowing that I didn’t have to take on the responsibility of advocating for my character — it was really, really great. I felt very taken care of and it was really nice.”
Vico Ortiz to Nerds & Beyond, April 2022
When we meet Jim, they are disguising themselves as a mute on the Revenge with the help of Oluwande, who will later become their lover, becoming yet another beautiful queer pirate couple. In a series full of lessons for the rest of the industry on how queerness should be represented in media, there are two reoccurring themes present throughout each of the 10 episodes — acceptance of oneself and acceptance of others, and there is no better character to embody both of these ideals than Jim Jimenez, who is a transgender non-binary Latine person just as Ortiz is in real-life.
The scene that best encompasses these ideals, in my opinion, is the scene in which Jim’s identity has been revealed to the crew of the Revenge. Rather than having Jim having a traditional “coming out” scene where they specifically state that they are non-binary, in Our Flag Means Death we see a scene in which the crew beautifully embraces Jim’s identity and personal expression. There is an almost “it’s no big deal” approach to the scene, which is different from the large scenes centered on drama and overcoming deep emotions when a queer character states their sexual identity we normally see in media. It was lovely to see a scene where gender identity was addressed, the character (Jim) expressed how they’d like the crew to identify them, and everyone moved on and honored Jim’s wishes.
This “not a big deal” approach to revealing Jim’s gender identity is actually a very big deal when you take into account how much that singular scene meant to a community who is not used to being accepted. Not only did Our Flag Means Death provide authentic, beautiful representation for the LGTBQIA+ community, but also a safe, accepting, and celebratory space for the cast and crew.
Our Flag Means Death is available to stream now on HBO Max.
Welcome to the latest installment of our 2022 Pride Month Series! Each weekday in the month of June, we will be highlighting a different member of the LGBTQIA+ community who we think is a great example of representation and dynamic characterization. We will focus on fictional characters, celebrities, and activists alike — the positive voices within the LGBTQIA+ community and in mainstream media. Today’s spotlight is on Edward Teach and Stede Bonnet, the beloved pirate “they were roommates” co-captains from HBO Max’s Our Flag Means Death.
Our Flag Means Death has been celebrated since it released this March on HBO Max for telling authentic, heartfelt, and heartwarming queer stories — and for providing actual representation for a community who is still vastly underrepresented in media. It is no longer enough to have a background queer character or two, or a passing glimpse at a non-heterosexual relationship. People in the LGBTQ+ community deserve to have their stories told authentically, in the spotlight, and to completion — which is exactly what this series has provided to those of us who have been historically disappointed by queerbaiting.
There are several queer relationships and identities to explore in the series, but the primary love story of Our Flag Means Death is between Edward Teach/Blackbeard (Taika Waititi) and Stede Bonnet (Rhys Darby). The love between the two burns slowly in such a way that had audiences wondering if we would really see the two admit their feelings, but when we see the love truly blossom between the two it is one of the most authentic and endearing love stories I can personally recall seeing in modern media. If you’re anything like me, though, you knew that there was something LGBTQ+ going on as soon as we saw Edward leaning over Stede’s unconscious form in bed and enviously muttering, “Who’s this Mary, then?” in response to Stede’s dream-fueled sleep-talking.
Thankfully, the phenomenal creative team behind the series didn’t make fans wonder forever, and we received confirmation that the two are in love when Ed kisses Stede on the docks and asks him to flee to China to begin a life together, all after renouncing piracy in order to save him. The romance between the two has built over several episodes at this point, with the pair sharing parts of themselves with the other man that they’ve never shared before and discovering what it is like to enjoy life again. Getting to see these two admit this to one another was enough to move me to tears. In fact, I am still moved to tears by this scene each and every time I rewatch the series — the chemistry and masterclass performances between Waititi and Darby here are enough to do that alone, coupled with beautiful writing and cinematography there is a perfect recipe for tears.
What makes Ed happy is…you.
Edward Teach, Our Flag Means Death season 1, episode 9
Ed admits to Stede on the dock that he has never been as happy as he has been the past few weeks he has spent with Stede, and though we don’t receive a verbal confirmation of this we know the same is true for Stede — who apparently was so miserable with his life before that his wife, Mary, regularly heard him crying to himself. They are each others’ soulmate, the true personification of the exact life the other has always wanted — so different from one another and yet perfect matches of a two piece puzzle. The pair help one another realize that they can both be anything they want to be, and that regardless of the lives they’ve lived or the lives they think they have to live now they both deserve to be happy.
Unfortunately, not every season of every series ends off on the happiest of notes, and Stede is unable to meet Ed on the docks to run away together — leaving Ed to feel abandoned and rejected by the love of his life. Stede, who once made Ed the happiest he’s ever been, is now the reason the fearsome pirate is the most heartbroken and depressed he’s ever been — and there are absolutely consequences for those around him. However, this time apart ultimately opens up the story for additional advancement of acceptance for oneself as Stede reunites with his wife, Mary. Ultimately, Stede and Mary come to the conclusion that Stede does not belong in that life anymore, partially because Mary herself has found true love.
Mary confirming she has found true love leads to a beautiful sequence where Mary describes what love feels like to Stede — while Mary describes this feeling that only the luckiest of us find, flashes of the time Stede and Ed have spent together flash through Stede’s mind. Stede has found true love he confirms, and when Mary asks for “her” name, Stede replies:
Ed. His name is Ed.
Stede Bonnet, Our Flag Means Death season 1 episode 10
The two share a knowing smile of acceptance, which is the most beautiful thing anyone of us in this community can hope to receive when we share ourselves with them.
You can find another article about LGBTQ+ representation in Our Flag Means Deathhere, and stay tuned for more Our Flag Means Death Pride articles today.
In celebration of Paramount Global’s debut of Paramount+ in the United Kingdom and Ireland on June 22, the streaming service has announced the cast for its upcoming original series Wolf Pack.
Armani Jackson, Bella Shepard, Chloe Rose Robertson, and Tyler Lawrence Gray will lead the new series. The Paramount+ original comes from Jeff Davis, developer and executive producer of MTV’s hit series Teen Wolf,and MTV Entertainment Studios.
Based on the book series by Edo Van Belkom of the same name, Wolf Pack follows the story of two teenagers whose lives are forever changed when a wildfire in California awakens supernatural creatures. Bound by the chaos, the two teenagers connect with two others and soon learn of the secret they share: the bite of a werewolf.
Along with the cast announcement, Paramount+ has released that production for the series will begin next week in Atlanta, Georgia. Wolf Pack is to premiere sometime this year in the United States, Canada, Latin America, the Caribbean, Australia, South Korea, Ireland, and the United Kingdom, as well as Italy, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and France.
Be sure to check back for more Wolf Pack announcements to come on Nerds and Beyond.
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